End of the Line for Midnight Drinkers

By

Richard Morgan

May 17, 2012 3:29 pm ET

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Long Island-bound commuters who prefer to bring a few beers on their Friday night trip to Babylon better catch the 11:52 p.m. out of Penn Station. Starting this weekend, Long Island Rail Road will prohibit alcoholic beverages at the stroke of midnight.

The overnight ban is limited in scope, lasting until 5 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Passengers departing at all other times will still be allowed to bring their own booze aboard.

Still, the change doesn’t sit well with tipsy passengers or those who supply them.

A late-night exploration of affected lines last weekend turned up no shortage of open containers—as well as burping, slurred speech, stumbling and, in one case, vomiting. Those holding drinks included celebrating sports fans, revelers ending a night on the town, both amorous and quarrelsome couples and women weeping into cellphones.